Book store closes after 13 years

A family-run book store in Bury St Edmunds will close later day after more than 13 years in business.

Keeley Jones, owner of the Book Clearance Centre, on Cornhill, said: “The lease came up for renewal and I decided it was the right time to call it a day.”

The mother-of-three started the business when her children were young, as a way of ensuring she had flexible working hours.

Her husband Gary worked in the direct sales of books and it was his stock that she sold in the shop.

But she reopened after Christmas with an ‘everything £1’ sale, in preparation for today’s closure.

She said: “It has been incredibly busy. The day we opened for the sale, we had people queuing out the door and we didn’t stop. The customers have been lovely and there’s not a single person that hasn’t said ‘what are we going to do without you’.

She said she will miss her customers but is excited about not knowing what the future holds.

She said: “It’s amazing how much you recognise faces. You get to know people and you feel part of Bury a little bit more because you’re interacting with people, but I think it’s just the right time.”

The Book Clearance Centre is another blow to the town, which has seen a string closures already this year, including Jessops and Blockbuster.

Mark Cordell, chief executive of Bid4Bury, a group representing the interests of retail and other town centre businesses, said: “It’s a shame to see another business closing in the town, and the unit’s in a nice location, but I understand it’s quite likely to be relet soon and that then gives someone else another opportunity to run a business in our lovely, thriving town.”